A Reunion in Pinecraft by Shelley Shepard GrayWhen sisters Sharon and Sherilyn Kramer attend a wedding in Shipshewana, one of them returns with a new penpal while the other returns to her job at the bakery. After sending weekly letters back and forth, Sherry and Graham Holland arrange a reunion in Pinecraft. Upon Graham s arrival, however, he realizes he s been writing to the wrong sister. He decides to use the reunion as a way to get to know both sisters, but can he sort through the confusion in time to turn the worst vacation ever into something truly wonderful?Summer Storm by Amy ClipstonArianna is counting down the days until her wedding to Jesse. They have been friends longer than Arianna can remember, and that friendship turned into love over the past couple of years. But when Arianna s brother Isaac, who happens to be Jesse s best friend, gets them both into trouble, Arianna s father puts an end to her engagement to Jesse. Some summer storms pass quickly, but Arianna is afraid the damage from this one may be too much to repair.Lakeside Love by Kathleen FullerEsther has always lived in the shadow of her beautiful younger sister Sarah. Even the boy she has known and loved her entire life, Judah, only has eyes for Sarah. But when a handsome young Englischer comes to live with the family for a summer, everything begins to change.One Sweet Kiss by Kelly IrvinEverybody in little Bee County, Texas, can see the obvious: Jacob King and Martha Byler are meant to be together. Everyone, that is, but Martha. Ever since her mother died when Martha was a young girl, she has taken over the role of caregiver to her large family. And reckless Jacob, who has had a little too much fun on his rumspringa, only seems to add to the list of people to manage. But one summer changes everything, and these two may just find a way to meet in the middle and share one sweet kiss.

An Amish Summer consists of stories written by authors, Shelley Shepard Gray, Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller and Kelly Irvin. Like many of its predecessors (in terms of Amish novella collections) from the publisher, the title suggest the overall theme of each story. In An Amish Summer, readers will be able to feel the beauty of the season with our Amish characters.

In A Reunion in Pinecraft by Shelley Shepard Gray, it was a reunion for our characters as well as for readers. If you're a fan of the author's Brides of Pinecraft series, you'll enjoy this novella indeed, especially with appearances of some fan favorite characters. The connection aside, this story's premise of pen pals and confusion of what's in the heart versus what you see makes for an interesting read.

In typical Amy Clipston novella style, Summer Storm gives readers a scenario that readers can fully relate. Not necessarily with the specific incident in this story, but one can relate to either being wrongly accused, or have wrongly jumped to conclusions. Either way, it's how the characters choose to act following, that makes this an inspiring read. Love it.

Ah. Kathleen Fuller's Lakeside Love was one I personally connect with the most. Possibly because our main character, Esther reminded me of me. The issue of self-confidence may be a common thread with many females, especially when we're young, but I think even as we grow through experiences, it can sneak up on you. I really love the fact that the author showed that the lack of self-confidence goes both ways, and even when one least expect it.

Kelly Irvin's One Sweet Kiss dealt with growing up and letting go, but also a certain resolve in trust. There are hard issues at play, but I think the message of how growing up isn't just into adulthood, but the discernment and wisdom in one's action is strong even when it's quite subdued. Sometimes maturity or at least thinking you're mature enough can be a hindrance to one's choice to growth.

Overall, An Amish Summer is another great collection that spoke of the heart, but also an encouraging collection on personal development. I enjoyed how each of our characters have evolved and learned more about themselves, others and experienced a crucial moment in their life's journey. Entertaining and insightful.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.

Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.

Amy Clipston is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Kauffman Amish Bakery series. Her novels have hit multiple bestseller lists including CBD, CBA, and ECPA. Amy holds a degree in communication from Virginia Wesleyan College and works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and three spoiled rotten cats.

Kelly Irvin is the author of The Beekeeper’s Son, the critically acclaimed first novel of the Amish of Bee County series. Kelly is also the author of several Amish series including the Bliss Creek Amish series, the New Hope Amish series, and the Amish of Bee County series. The Kansas native is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Journalism. She has been writing nonfiction professionally for thirty years, including ten years as a newspaper reporter, mostly in Texas-Mexico border towns. She has worked in public relations for the City of San Antonio for twenty years. Kelly has been married to photographer Tim Irvin for twenty-seven years. They have two young adult children, two cats, and a tank full of fish. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories and read books by her favorite authors.